After a few minutes, remove the stopper and rinse the mixture with hot water. The kitchen is a high-maintenance area to clean, since it’s used frequently and bacteria from food can cover many surfaces. Along with your general daily cleaning, tackle these tasks seasonally to keep your kitchen sparkling. And make sure to keep our deep cleaning checklist handy to track your progress. You need an all-purpose cleaner, a disinfectant and a window cleaner, Williford says. That all-purpose cleaner will work on most surfaces in your home.
For more serious cleaning work, fill up the bucket, mop down the area manually with a scrubber, then dry well with a clean rag. Also check your refrigerator, oven, washing machine and other inherited appliances to make sure they are empty. Read more about kitchen cleaning here. Throw out anything that’s been left behind, or donate items and recycle e-waste as necessary. These five crucial cleaning habits that will help you reduce clutter, keep dust and dirt at bay and stay on track with your cleaning routine. It’s the getting started that’s the hardest part, but once you fall into an agreeable cleaning schedule with realistic short term cleaning goals, you’ll be golden. Show it off by ensuring your windows are spotless and streak-free inside and out.
Reader Favorites
If the screens look dirty, wash them with warm soapy water and a soft brush, then rinse and let them dry before putting them back in place. Then, clean the inside of your windows with a glass cleaner and microfiber cloth. Remove the oven racks and wash them in the sink with hot water and soap. Then create a paste of three parts baking soda and one part water, and spread it around the oven, avoiding the heating elements. A bit of fresh lemon in the paste will help remove odors.
Ways to Make Your Whole House Smell Amazing
Keep all appliances in good repair and never use a charcoal grill or portable generator inside your home. Researchers have identified 45 potentially harmful chemicals in household dust to examine. At least 10 of these chemicals were in almost all the samples taken from sites throughout the United States. A 2016 review published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal shows how household dust resembles a “parking lot for chemicals” in your home. In older homes, check for the presence of lead by hiring a licensed risk assessor or by purchasing a lead home test kit at your local hardware store. The new coronavirus can also get on your doorknobs if you’re regularly going to work or going out and then touching doorknobs before washing your hands.
That way, next winter, you’ll start with a clean slate. Do you have an artificial Christmas tree that’s getting a bit dingy?
But an old rag and a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water will clean most surfaces. Add in a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant aroma. Even an old toothbrush can come in handy for dirty kitchen or bathroom corners. On hardwood floors, use a floor cleaner or a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water, never allowing floors to be more than damp.
When this happens, you’re going to want to use a liquid detergent as you’d use in your dishwasher. Mix a tablespoon of detergent with a gallon of water and then use a sponge or cloth to cut through the grease. Add soapy water with a sponge or cloth and then squeegee down with long, vertical strokes. Feel free to augment the above list as necessary for your home. If you have hardwood floors, for instance, add some wax or polish.